Railroad crossing



Attorney 1 [5 |-IIL N A Q INVENTOR HUBERTIDYCK law 29% April 30, 1963 H. l. DYCK RAILROAD CROSSING Filed March 22, 1960 United States Patent 3,087,678 RAILROAD CROSSING Hubert I. Dyck, Pleasant Grove, Utah, assignor to United States Steel Corporation, a corporation of New Jersey Filed Mar. 22, 1960, Ser. No. 16,805 9 Claims. (1. 2388) This invention relates to railroad crossings and is directed more particularly to improvements providing flexibility such that vertical movement of railroad cross-ties resulting from the passage of railway or traffic vehicles does not disturb the mounting of the crossing on the cross-ties.

Existing railroad and highway traffic crossings are commonly constructed of traffic bearing members rigidly secured to the railway cross-ties. Timbers spiked or fastened by screws to the track ties furnish an example of crossings of this character. In such crossings, the connections between the timbers or other traffic bearing members and cross-ties frequently tear loose due to the pounding of heavy rail and highway traflic. The result is frequent expensive maintenance and rough crossings to highway vehicles.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a crossing having flexible characteristics such that the mounting of traflic bearing members forming a part of the crossing is not affected by the pounding of highway and rail trafiic. Another object of the invention is to provide for free vertical movement of railway cross-ties relative to the structure of the crossing thereover. A further and related object is to provide a crossing in which vertical movement of the cr0SS-ties in response to travel of railway vehicles over rails supported thereby is not transmitted to the other ties through the traflic bearing members.

For the above and related purposes, the crossing of this invention is comprised of relatively short tratiic bearing members that are supported by saddle members on the railway cross-ties. The saddle members in a manner to be described extend longitudinally of the ties on which they are mounted and are provided with pockets at laterally spaced intervals with respect to the trackway rails and in which the ends of the traflic bearing members are loosely received and supported. By reason of the loose mounting of the traffic bearing members on the supporting saddles therefor, the crossing of this invention has a flexi- .bility such that vertical movement of the ties under the pounding of rail and highway traffic is not transmitted through the trafiic bearing members to ties not subject at the moment to the load of the trafiic movement over the crossmg.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description.

In the drawings, there is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention. In this showing:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the crossing of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view of a transverse portion of the crossing shown in FIGURE 1 illustrating in detail the manner in which the ends of the trafiic bearing members are supported in saddles mounted on a railway cross-tie;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line III-III of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IVIV of FIGURE 3.

The drawings show the crossing of this invention applied to a conventional railway track arrangement of a pair of track rails 1 supported by tie plates 2 on wooden cross-ties 3, the rails 1 and tie plates 2 being secured in position by spikes 4.

3,087,678 Patented Apr. 30, 1963 The crossing of this invention comprises traffic bearing members 5 of relatively short length arranged in positions parallel to the rails 1, and three-part saddle structures 6 on which the ends of the members 5 are supported. While FIGURE 1 shows the saddle structures 6 mounted on alternate cross-ties 3a, the number of intervening ties 3b can be such that the span of the traffic bearing members 5 will not be exceeded for applied loads. It will accordingly be understood that the saddle structures 6 can be located on every second, third, fourth, etc. tie depending on the tie spacing and the applied loads. As shown in FIGURE 1, the saddle structures 6 are mounted on alternate cross-ties 3a and the traflic bearing members 5 have a length slightly less than twice the distance between the center-lines of adjacent ties 3 so that each traflic bearing member 5 has its opposite ends 5a supported by one of the saddle structures 6, and each traflic bearing member 5 straddles an intervening tie 312. Each of the saddle structures 6 comprises a central saddle part or member 6a extending between the rails 1, and a pair of end saddle parts or members 6b that respectively project laterally outwardly in opposite directions with respect to the rails 1. The saddle members 6a and 6b in each saddle structure 6 extend longitudinally with respect to and are supported on the upper surfaces 7 of the alternate cross-ties 3a on which they are mounted.

As best shown in FIGURES 2'4, each of the saddle parts or members 6a and 6b comprises a horizontal base plate 8 that is supported on the upper surface 7 of and has a spike connection with one of the alternate crossties 3a, and an integral separator plate 9 extending cen trally and vertically with respect to the base plate 8. Pairs of vertical and integral flanges 10 at spaced inter vals along the length of the base plates 8 and projecting outwardly from opposite sides of the vertical center plate 9 define oppositely facing and upwardly open pockets 11 in which the ends 5a of the traffic bearing members 5 are loosely received. Bosses 12 projecting vertically upwardly from the base plate 8 in each pocket .11 support the traflic bearing members 5 in a position with their lower edges 14 spaced vertically above the upper surfaces 7 of the cross-ties 3a and 3b.

As best shown in FIGURE 3, each of the traflic hearing members 5 is comprised of a pair of channel sections 15 that have the outer ends of their flanges 16 welded together to form a hollow box-like steel section. The vertical dimensions of the base plate 8, the bosses 12 and the channel sections 15 are such that the upper surface 17 of each traflic bearing member 5 is at substantially the same level as the upper surfaces 18 of the rails 1 so that the surfaces 17 cooperate to form a vehicle traflic road surface on which traffic vehicles may cross over the rails 1. The upper edges 19 of the pocket flanges 10 and the separator plates 9 are also at the same vertical level as the upper surfaces 18 of the rails 1 so that the pockets 11 have the same vertical depth above the bosses 12 as the vertical dimension between the traflic bearing surfaces 17 and the lower edges 14 of the traffic bearing members 5. By reason of their relatively short length and vertical dimensions as described above, the traflic bearing members 5 will not be dislodged with respect to the saddle structure 6 by movement of rail and vehicle traflic over the crossing. While traflic bearing members 5 constructed of channel sections 15 as described are preferred, it will be understood that traflic bearing members of equivalent construction, such as I and H-sections, may be used and are contemplated within the principles of this invention.

The crossing of this invention is easily and quickly assembled in position on a railway track as shown in FIGURE 1. Its assembly is efiected in a short period of time by spiking the saddle members 6a and 6b in posi- 'ice 3 tion on alternate cross-ties 3a and by thereafter lowering the traffic bearing members to positons with their ends 5a supported in the saddle pockets 11.

After assembly of the crossing, movement of railway and traflic vehicles over the crossing does not disturb the mounted position of the traffic bearing members 5 on the saddle parts 6a and 6b. When a railway vehicle passes over the rails 1, vertical movement of the intervening ties 3b is not transmitted to the crossing structure by reason of the space between the lower edges 14 of the traffic bearing members 5 and the upper surfaces 7 of the intervening ties 312. While vertical movement of the alternate ties 3a will result in a similar movement of the saddle structures 6, such vertical movement has no etfect on the crossing and causes only a slight pivotal movement of the trafiic bearing members 5 with respect to the saddle members 6 in which their opposite ends are supported. It will thus be apparent that the crossing of this invention provides for flex-ing movement of the traflic bearing members 5 with respect to the saddle structures 6 in a direction longitudinally of the tracks 1 and in response to movement of a railway vehicle thereover, and its mounting on the ties 3 is not effected by the pounding action of railway traflic moving over the rails 1. Moreover, and by reason of the depth of the pockets 11 and the traffic bearing members 5, it will be further apparent that the mounted position of the members 5 in the saddle pockets 11 is not disturbed by movement of vehicle road traflic over the crossing.

While one embodiment of my invention has been shown and described it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A railroad crossing comprising, the combination with a track rail and a plurality of ties extending transversely of and supporting said-rail, of a saddle member extending longitudinally of one of said ties and outwardly from said rail, said saddle member being secured to the upper surface of said one tie and having laterally spaced vertical flanges defining a plurality of upwardly open pockets spaced laterally relative to said rail, and a plurality of'tratfic bearing members disposed parallel to said rail and respectively having end portions loosely received and supported in said pockets, said trafiic bearing members having upper surfaces that are level with the top surface of said rail and cooperate to provide a vehicle road surface.

2. A railroad crossing comprising, the combination with a pair of laterally spaced track rails and a plurality of ties extending transversely of and supporting said rails, of a three-part saddle structure extending longitudinally of one of said ties and comprising a center'part arranged between said rails and a pair of end parts respectively projecting laterally outwardly from said rails, each of said saddle parts being secured to the upper surface of said one tie and having a plurality of pockets spaced laterally relative to said rail, and a plurality of trafiic bearing members disposed parallel to said rail and respectively having end portions loosely received and supported in said pockets, said trafiic bearing members having upper surfaces that are level with the top surface of said rail and cooperate to provide a vehicle road surface.

3. A railroad crossing comprising, the combination with a track rail and a plurality of ties extending transversely of and supporting said rail, of a plurality of saddle members respectively mounted on selected ones of said ties that are spaced apart a distance such that there is at least one intervening tie between the ties on which said saddle members are mounted, each of said saddle members extending outwardly from said rail and longitudinally of the tie on which it is mounted and having a plurality of pockets spaced laterally relative to said rail, and a plurality of traffic bearing members parallel to said t rail and having a length corresponding to the distance between adjacent ones of said saddle members, each of said traffic bearing members having end portions loosely received and supported in said pockets.

4. A railroad crossing as defined in claim 3 characterized by said saddle members being mounted on alternate ties, and there being only one intervening tie between the ties on which said saddle members are mounted.

5. A railroad crossing as defined in claim 3 characterized by each of said saddle members having means supporting said trafic bearing end portions in said pockets at a level such that the lower edges of said trafiic hearing members are positioned above the upper surfaces of said intervening ties whereby vertical movement of said intervening ties in response to a movement of a railway vehicle over said rail is ineffective to disturb the mounting of said traffic bearing members.

6. A railroad crossing as defined in claim 3 characterized by each of said saddle members comprising a base plate secured to the upper surface of the tie on which it is mounted, a separator plate extending centrally and vertically with respect to said base plate, and a plurality of flanges extending outwardly from opposite sides of said vertical plate, said flanges defining the said pockets in which said traflic bearing end portions are received and supported on said base plate.

7. A railroad crossing as defined in claim 6 characterized by said base plate having bosses projecting upwardly in the space between adjacent pairs of said flanges and on which said traffic bearing members are supported at a level above the upper surfaces of said ties.

8. A railroad crossing comprising, the combination with a pair of laterally spaced track rails and a plurality of ties extending transversely of and supporting said rails, of a plurality of three-part saddle structures respectively secured to the upper surfaces of and extending longitudinally of selected ones of such ties that are spaced apart a distance such that there is at least one intervening tie between the ties on which said saddle structures are mounted, each of said saddle structures comprising a center part arranged between said rails and a pair of end parts respectively projecting laterally outwardly from said rails, each of said saddle parts comprising a base plate secured to the upper surface of the tie on which it is mounted, a separator plate extending centrally and vertically with respect to said base plate, and a plurality of flanges extending outwardly from opposite sides of said separator plate and defining pockets that are spaced laterally relative to said rails, and a plurality of traflic bearing members parallel to said rails and having a length corresponding to the distance between the vertical plates of adjacent ones of said saddle parts, each of said traffic bearing members having end portions loosely received .and supported in the said pockets of adjacent ones of said saddle parts.

9. A railroad crossing as defined in claim 8 characterized by said separator plates operating to limit endwise movement of the said traflic bearing members supported in said pockets, and by said flanges operating to limit lateral movement thereof, said trafiic bearing members being free to move vertically relative to the said separator plates and flanges forming the said saddle structure pockets in which their ends are supported.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 664,137 Edwards Dec. 18, 1900 1,102,235 Brees et al July 7, 1914 1,244,010 Anderson Oct. 23, 1917 1,592,205 Harsha July 13, 1926 1,838,784 Ostrom Dec. 29, 1931 1,946,448 White et a1. Feb. 6, 1934 1,965,026 Bell July 3, 1934 1,979,790 Bell Nov. 6, 1934 

1. A RAILROAD CROSSING COMPRISING, THE COMBINATION WITH A TRACK RAIL AND A PLURALITY OF TIES EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF AND SUPPORTING SAID RAIL, OF A SADDLE MEMBER EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY OF ONE OF SAID TIES AND OUTWARDLY FROM SAID RAIL, SAID SADDLE MEMBER BEING SECURED TO THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID ONE TIE AND HAVING LATERALLY SPACED VERTICAL FLANGES DEFINING A PLURALITY OF UPWARDLY OPEN POCKETS SPACED LATERALLY RELATIVE TO SAID RAIL, AND A PLU- 